Buckle



April 17, 1956 P, W, WHlTE 2,741,819

BUCKLE Filed Aug. 26, 1952 wig, g'.

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent O BUCKLE Paul W. White, New Haven, Conn., assignor to Parva Products Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Delaware Application August 26, 1952, Serial No. 306,459

3 Claims. (C1. 24-194) The present invention relates to shoe buckles, more particularly to slide-type shoe buckles adapted to be mounted on shoe straps, and the invention has for an object the provision of a slide-type shoe buckle which may readily be stamped from sheet metal, is of rugged construction, and is inexpensive to manufacture and which is eiective to clamp rmly or release readily the shoestrap to which the buckle is attached.

'Speciiically, the present invention relates to improvements in shoe buckles of the type disclosed and claimed in my prior Patent No. 2,599,031, issued June 3, 1952, whereby the clamping action of the buckle is substantially increased while at the same time permitting a very ne adjustment of the buckle by the wearer while the buckle is being worn and while maintaining tension on the 'buckle strap.

Briey, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, the slide buckle comprises a frame and slide having side bars and crossbars defining strap receiving openings therein to receive a strap, the frame sidebars having side walls extending rearwardly ofV the face of the frame and inturned slide supporting shoulders to support the slide. One of the frame crossbars is provided with a rearwardly extending upwardly inclined tongue portion of substantially less width than the strap receiving opening in the frame, and the end of this tongue portion is turned under to dene an inclined strap-engaging portion adapted to engage the central portion of a strap threaded through the frame and slide openings. One of the slide crossbars is provided with a strap clamping portion extending upwardly out of the plane of the slide to retain the slide within the frame for sliding movement along said shoulders, this strap clamping portion cooperating with the inturned end portion of the frame crossbar to clamp therebetween the strap threaded through said openings. With this arrangement the top edge portions of the strap are snubbed around the corners of Lhe strap-engaging portion of the frame crossbar when tension is applied tothe strap so that an effective clamping action is obtained. Y

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the other slide crossbar is positioned in the plane of the slide and spaced from the strap clamping slide crossbar so that the front edge of this other slide crossbar projects beyond the front edge of the frame crossbar when a strap is vclamped between the frame and slide crossbars. Accordingly, a very tine adjustment of the strap may be made by the wearer while the buckle is being worn and while tension is maintained on the strap by simply exerting a slight pressure upon the projecting front edge of the forward slide crossbar. Furthermore, thisl adjustmentis permitted While maintaining the snubbing action around the corners of the strap-engaging portion of the frame crossbar.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should now be had to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an assembled buckle embodying the features of the present invention shown attached to the end of a strap and with the slide withdrawn;

Y Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a righthand side view of the buckle of Fig. 3 taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the buckle frame;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the buckle slide;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the buckle slide;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the frame and slide in assembled position with a strap partially threaded therethrough;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 9 but showing the buckle and strap in clamping relation;

Fig. 1l is a top plan View of an alternative form ot` buckle applied to a shoe strap; and

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the buckle of Fig. 1l showing the buckle and strap in clamping relation.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown as comprising a shoe buckle including a sheet metal frame 10 (Fig. 6), which may be conveniently and economically iormed by a simple stamping operation, and a sheet metal slide 11 (Figs. 7 and 8), which may be formed by a similar stamping operation and which is adapted to cooperate with the frame 10. As shown, the frame 10 comprises a pair of sidebars 12 and 13 and' a pair of crossbars 14 and 15, which together form a suitable strap receiving opening 17 through which a strap may be threaded. The frame 10 is also provided with sidebar extensions 18 and 19, the rear portions of which are inclined upwardly from the main plane of the frame 1&1, a third crossbar 20 which is employed as a strap attaching bar for attachment of the strap to the buckle frame 10, and an end crossbar 21 which may be employed as a strap hold-down bar, as best shown in Fig. l0. With the sidebar extensions 18 and 19 inclined upwardly sufficient space is provided to permit the insertion of the strap under the hold-down bar 21 when the buckle `is worn on the side of the shoe. In this connection, it will be understood that if the buckle is worn on the front of the shoe `the sidebar extensions 18 and 19 lmay rbe substantially coplanar with the main plane of the frame 10 since the curvature of the ankle gives sufficient additional space to permit insertion of the strap under the hold-down bar 21.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the sidebars 12 and 13 are provided with rearwardly extending side wall portions 22 and 23 which form a recess suitable for receiving the slide 11. The side portions 22 and23 are provided adjacent the forward ends thereof with inwardly extending shoulder portions 24 and 2S which extend along the sidebars 12 and 13 and rearwardly of the face of the buckle to provide slide-supporting runners or shoulders adjacent the strap receiving opening 17. The strap attaching bar 20 of the' frame 1i) is provided with an intermediate portion which is depressed relative to the upper face of the. buckle frame so that when the end of the strap is secured to the bar 2i) by means of thread or the like, the thread is conned to the intermediate portion of the bar 20 and cannot ride up along the inclined end portions thereof, thereby preventing the slide from striking the strap-securing thread and cutting the same, as described in detail in my prior Patent No. 2,599,031 identified above.

The forward crossbar 14 of the frame 1G is provided with a rearwardly extending, upwardly inclined tongue v portion 26 which projects rearwardly over the strap receiving opening 17' in the frame i() and is provided with an endv portion' 27" of substantially' less width than' the strap receiving opening '7 which is turned under the inclined, portion .26 to provide an inclined strap-engaging. portion 27" adapted. to. engage the central' portion. of the strap threaded throughithe opening i7'.v Accordingly, the; corners 28Y and 2i," formed by turningl under Ythe, portion 2.7, are positioned well within the strap. receiving opening i7' so as to permit the edge portions of the strap to be snubbed around these. corners, when tensionV is applied tothe strap, as will oe described in more detail. hereinafter. Y

Refeiring now to Figs; 7 and 8, the slide il comprises a pair of crossbars 3@ and 31 which are connectedv by suitable si-debars 32J and'. 3.3 to define a strap` receiving opening 34: The crossbar 31 isfdeformedslightly downwnrdly'to position this bar slightly'below the main plane of the slide il: and theA crossbar 31 is provided with an upwardly extending strap clamping portion 35 which extends upwardly out of the mainY plane of the slide 1i'. 'Ehe` strap clamping portion 35 alsov serves as a stop to limit the travel ofV the slide li within the frame li'. Thus, the strap clamping portion 3S strikes, the crossbar l5 of the frame El? to limit thetravel` of the slide. l inthe rearward direction, and the portioirli strikes the crossbar 14 to limit travelv of the slide 11 in the forward direction when the buckle is Unthreaded.

ln' order to assemble the slide il' in the framev 10, the slide 11 is inserted into the frame and the slide supporting shoulders 24 and 25 are thereafter deformed inwardly to the position shown in the draw-ing, thereby permanently Y retaining the slide il within the-frame 10.

Once the slide and frame have been assembled: together inthe manner described above, Ythe operation of the buckle thereby produced is in general similar to the operation set forth in my prior patent'identied above, but by reason of the correlation and proportioning of the parts in the present buckle, an increased clamping action is provided while at the same time permitting amicroscopic adjustment of the buckleby the wearer While ten.- sion is maintained on thel strap. The strap receiving openings 34 and'17 in the slide and frame, respectively,

are in alignment to permit threading of a strap there4 through as shown in Fig. 9. The crossbar 3l) constitutes the pull-np bar of the buckle and the strap clampingl portion 3S of the crossbar 31 constitutes the clamping bar of the-buckle. The portion 35 in cooperation with the strap-engaging portion 27 of the crossbar I4 of the frame serves to clamp the strap adjusted positions in the buckle whenever tension is applied to the strap- In Figs. l to 5, inclusive, 9 and l0, the buckle is shown iny conjunction with a strapv comprising an end portionV 36 which is secured to the depressedV central portion of the strap attaching crossbar 2) by means of the thread 37. The free end portion 38 of the strap is adapted to be threaded through the strap receivingv openings inv the iframe lil and slide il and'adjustably clamped in the buckle. ln Fig. 9, the buckle is shown with the frame itl and siide in strap-threading position with the free end 3S of the strapextending through the strapreceiving openings 34 and 17. When tension is applied to the strap, engagement of the strap portion 33 with the poli-up crossbar 3Q on the slide will cause the slide to move in a lefthand direction from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shownV in Fig. lil, in which latter position the strap is firmly clamped between the upstanding portion 35' of the crossbar 3i on the slide il and the inclined strap-engaging portion 27 of the forward crossbar on the frame il?. Thereafter, the loose, end of the strap portion 38 may be inserted beneath. the holddown bar Zi as shown in Fig. lG.

lt will be noted that the top edge portions 3341-, and of. the free end 3S, of the, strap, are snubbed around the corners 28 and deined by the inturned strapl enportion 27 on the frame itl when tension is applied to the strap as is best shown in Figs. 5 and l0. This snubbing actiony isy provided' by malcingi the inturned portion 27 of substantially less width than the strap which is threaded through the strap-receiving openings inthe buckle so that the edge portions of the strap may curl upwardly around the edges of the portion 27 when tension is applied to the stragi. snubbing action is also increased by so positioning eY forward crossbar 30 of the slide 11 relative to the clamping portion 35 that the crossbar 30 is` adjacent; the forward-.portion QE the crossbar ifi on thefrarne lil when the strapeis clampedsoftliat the strap is positioned generally parallel to the: inclined portion 27 thus permittingv the, edge portions 38ov and 38b of the strap to be snubbed aroun'dlthe corners of the portion 27 as described-'above'.

In order to provide for microscopic adjustments of the buckle while it is being Wornand while maintaining the above described clamping action, s o that the buckle,l once adjusted', stays in its adjusted position, the pullup, cross,- bar 30 of the. slide 1'1 is so. positioned' that it projects' beyond the front edge of the crossbar1'4 on the frame Ill' when the strap is clamped" in the buckle, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l0'. With this arrangement of the parts, the buckle may be readily and. conveniently adjusted by the wearer by Veverting a slight pressure on the protrudf ing portion of the slide crossbar 30'. Furthermore, this adjustment can be made without taking ther loose end' of the strap from beneathY the hold-downV 21- of the buckle. Thus, if the adjustment; ofV theV buckle isi too tight', the wearers finger may be placed against the protruding/edge ofthe crossbar 3Q- and the slide moved rearwardly slightly' so that the strap is adjusted by a very small amount, the orderA of 1/32 of an inch or less; Furthermore, thev adjustment may be made even finer by simply giving av slight lifting action to the forward endV ofi' the buckleV so that thek adjustment othe buckle may be Varied by an extremely small amount to loosen the strap Verysli'ghtly; lt'will also be notedA that the above described adjustments canV be made while maintainingl the same clamping positionV on the strap so that once the adjustment is made the clamping and snubbing action described above' is immediately obtained;

Whenever it is desired to remove the strap from theV buckle they free end o the strap is removed5 from under the hold-down bar 2l and a slightpull is eXerted on the free end of the strap in the righthand direction as viewed in Fig. l0 so'that the slide 11 is movedtoward thethread ing-or releasing position-shown in Fig. 9. 1

It will be observedAt-hat the relatively Widepull-up crossbar 3) of the slide 11 has theetfect of preventingithe-insertion of the free end of the` strap 3S between the frame crossbar 14 and the crossbar 30. By reason of this con'- struction there is very' little possibility of threadingI the free end of theV strap into the buckle incorrectly since it can be readily inserted only through the strap` receiving openings'34 and'- 1-7.

In Figs. l-l and 12 there isV shown an alternative embodiment of the present invention. In this alternativembodiment the buckle Yf-rame- 50 is substantially identical to the buckle frame 10 described in detail above; However, the'buckle slide-51 of the-embodiment shown-in Figs. ll and l2 is modied so as to prevent the slide from cutting into the strap whenanextremelyheavy pressureis applied thereto. Thus, theslide 51 is provided with a' rear crossbar 52 having an upwardly extending strap clamping portionSS which is inclined forwardly atv an angle of approximately 45 degrees as clearly shown in Fig. l2. The strap clamping portion 53 is provided' with a turned under portion 54 so that a smooth round edge 55 ofV relatively large radius engages the underside oi the strap 38;. YWith arrange.- ment, the strap clamping portion oi thecrossbar 52 ispiravented fromcutting intothestrap Sk8-when extremely heavy tension isY applied thereto since the round edge 53 provided by turning-undef the-portion 54: provides a Smoothsuiface for engagement with the strap. Byy inclning: the strap clamping portion 53 forwardly, the clamping action of the buckle is also increased.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many other modications may be made and it is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A slide buckle comprising, a frame, a slide for cooperation with said frame, said frame and said slide having side-bars and cross-bars dening strap receiving openings therein to receive a strap, said frame side bars having side walls extending rearwardly of the face of said frame and inturned slide supporting shoulders, one of said frame cross-bars having a rearwardly extending upwardly inclined tongue portion extending over the strap receiving opening in said frame and provided with an end portion of substantially less width than the strap receiving opening which is turned under said tongue portion adjacent said opening, one of said slide cross-bars having a strap engaging portion of a Width substantially less than the width of said strap receiving opening in said frame and adapted to limit movement of said slide along said shoulders in both directions, said strap engaging portion extending upwardly out of the plane of said slide for cooperation with end portion to clamp therebetween a strap threaded through said openings, the other of said slide cross-bars being positioned in the plane of said slide and spaced from said one slide cross-bar so that the front edge of said other slide cross-bar projects beyond the front edge of said one frame cross-bar when a strap is clamped between said one frame and slide cross-bars, whereby said slide may be moved rearwardly to permit ne adjustment of the strap while maintaining tension thereon.

2. A slide buckle comprising, a frame, a slide for cooperation with said frame, said frame and said slide having side-bars and cross-bars defining strap receiving openings therein to receive a strap, said frame side bars having side walls extending rearwardly of the face of said frame and inturned slide supporting shoulders, one of said frame cross-bars having a rearwardly extending, upwardly inclined tongue portion of substantially less width than the strap receiving opening in said frame, said tongue portion projecting rearwardly over the strap receiving opening in said frame and having the end portion thereof turned under to define an inclined strap engaging portion adapted to engage the central portion of a strap threaded through said openings, one of said slide cross-bars having a strap clamping portion of a width substantially less than the width of said strap receiving opening in said frame and adapted to limit movement of said slide along said shoulders in both directions, said strap clamping portion extending upwardly out of the plane of said slide, said strap clamping portion cooperating with said strap engaging portion to clamp therebetween a strap threaded through said openings, the top edge portions of the strap being suubbed around the corners of said strap engaging portion when tension is applied to the strap.

3. A slide buckle comprising, a frame, a slide for cooperation with said frame, said frame and said slide having side-bars and cross-bars dening strap receiving openings therein to receive a strap, said frame side bars having side Walls extending rearwardly of the face of said frame and inturned slide supporting shoulders, one of said frame cross-bars having a rearwardly extending, upwardly inclined tongue portion of substantially less Width than the strap receiving opening in said frame, said tongue portion projecting rearwardly over the strap receiving opening in said frame and having the end portion thereof turned under to denne an inclined strap engaging portion adapted to engage the central portion of a strap threaded through said openings, one of said slide cross-bars having a strap clamping portion extending upwardly out of the plane of said slide and of a width substantially less than the width of said strap receiving opening in said frame and adapted to limit movement of said slide along said shoulders in both directions, said strap clamping portion cooperating with said strap engaging portion to clamp therebetween a strap threaded through said openings, the top edge portions of the strap being snubbed around the corners of said strap engaging portion when tension is applied to the strap, the other of said slide cross-bars being positioned in the plane of said slide and spaced from said one slide cross-bar so that the front edge of said other slide cross-bar projects beyond the front edge of said one frame cross-bar when a strap is clamped between said one frame and slide cross-bars to permit ne adjustment of the strap while maintaining tension thereon by moving said strap clamping portion rearwardly while maintaining a snubbing action around the corners of said strap engaging portion.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

